Touch-sensitive device and cover lens assembly

ABSTRACT

A touch-sensitive device includes a transparent substrate, a touch-sensing structure, a decorative layer, a trace layer, a passivation layer and a sheltering layer. The touch-sensing structure is disposed on the transparent substrate and located in a touch-sensitive region. The decorative layer is disposed on the transparent substrate and located in a non-touch-sensitive region, and the trace layer is disposed on the decorative layer. The passivation layer is disposed on the transparent substrate and at least covers the touch-sensing structure and the trace layer. The sheltering layer is disposed at least on the passivation layer and located in the non-touch-sensitive region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/750,369,filed on Jan. 25, 2013, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.13/152,805, filed on Jun. 3, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,643,614.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to touch-sensitive device and a touch-sensitivedisplay device having high reliability and low light leakage.

b. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 6, a conventional touch-sensitive device 100 has aglass substrate 102, a silicide layer 104 formed on the glass substrate102, a plurality of touch-sensing electrodes (such as X-axis electrodes106 a and Y-axis electrodes 106 b), a trace layer 108, an organicdielectric layer 110 and a decorative layer 112. The X-axis electrodes106 a and the Y-axis electrodes 106 b may be arranged in two directionsperpendicular to each other. The X-axis electrodes 106 a and the Y-axiselectrodes 106 b are insulated from each other by the organic dielectriclayer 110, and, as shown in FIG. 6, two adjacent Y-axis electrodes 106 bare connected with each other by a conductive pad 114. The trace layer108 includes a plurality of metal traces, and the silicide layer 116covers the X-axis electrodes 106 a, the Y-axis electrodes 106 b and thetrace layer 108 entirely to function as a passivation layer.

According to the above design, in case the periphery of a cover glasswiring structure (such as a traces-on-lens wiring structure shown inFIG. 6) is not given any protection, the production reliability isconsiderably reduced and the cover glass wiring structure is liable tosuffer scrapes. Besides, a commercial cover glass is designed to havevarious shapes formed by special-shaped edging processing. However, thespecial-shaped edging processing may cause severe periphery lightleakage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a touch-sensitive device and a touch-sensitivedisplay device having high reliability and low light leakage.

In order to achieve one or a portion of or all of the objects or otherobjects, one embodiment of the invention provides a touch-sensitivedevice having a touch-sensitive region and a non-touch-sensitive regionand including a transparent substrate, a touch-sensing structure, adecorative layer, a trace layer, a passivation layer and a shelteringlayer. The touch-sensing structure is disposed on the transparentsubstrate and located in the touch-sensitive region. The decorativelayer is disposed on the transparent substrate and located in thenon-touch-sensitive region, and the trace layer is disposed on thedecorative layer. The passivation layer is disposed on the transparentsubstrate and at least covers the touch-sensing structure and the tracelayer. The sheltering layer is disposed at least on the passivationlayer and located in the non-touch-sensitive region.

In one embodiment, the non-touch-sensitive region is formed on theperiphery of the touch-sensitive device, and the sheltering layer isdisposed on the periphery of the non-touch-sensitive region.

In one embodiment, a gap region is formed between an outer edge of thedecorative layer and a side edge of the transparent substrate, and thesheltering layer overlaps the gap region. In one embodiment, thetouch-sensing structure comprises a plurality of first sensing seriesand a plurality of second sensing series spaced apart from the firstsensing series.

In one embodiment, the sheltering layer includes at least one of photoresist, diamond-like carbon, ceramic, colored ink and resin.

In one embodiment, the sheltering layer includes a translucent material,an opaque material, a material having low light transmittance, or amaterial capable of transmitting infrared light.

In one embodiment, the sheltering layer surrounds the decorative layer.

In one embodiment, each of the passivation layer and the shelteringlayer has an opening on the trace layer to expose a part of the tracelayer.

In one embodiment, the touch-sensitive device further includes atransparent conductive layer disposed on the decorative layer andelectrically connected to the trace layer and an external circuit.

In one embodiment, the touch-sensitive device further includes aninsulation layer disposed on the passivation layer and distributed onlyin the non-touch-sensitive region, and the thickness of the insulationlayer is 3-100 times greater than the passivation layer.

In one embodiment, the touch-sensing structure is an undergroundelectrode structure or a bridge electrode structure.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a touch-sensitive displaydevice, where a display device is attached to the aforesaidtouch-sensitive device through an optical adhesive.

According to the above embodiments, since the sheltering layer overlapsthe gap region between an outer edge of the decorative layer and a sideedge of the transparent substrate, the problem of periphery lightleakage is avoided. Besides, the sheltering layer is disposed on theperiphery of the touch-sensitive device to surround the decorative layeron the trace layer to provide periphery protection of the wiringstructure on the cover glass and to avoid side scrapes on the decorativelayer to improve production reliability.

Other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will befurther understood from the further technological features disclosed bythe embodiments of the invention wherein there are shown and describedpreferred embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustrationof modes best suited to carry out the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a touch-sensitive device according to anembodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged cross-sectionof FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram illustrating overlapping positionsbetween a sheltering layer and a decorative layer according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a touch-sensitivedevice according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a touch-sensitivedisplay device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a conventionaltouch-sensitive device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments,reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof,and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments inwhich the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directionalterminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” etc., is usedwith reference to the orientation of the Figure(s) being described. Thecomponents of the invention can be positioned in a number of differentorientations. As such, the directional terminology is used for purposesof illustration and is in no way limiting. On the other hand, thedrawings are only schematic and the sizes of components may beexaggerated for clarity. It is to be understood that other embodimentsmay be utilized and structural changes may be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein ismeant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereofas well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms“connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted” and variations thereof herein areused broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings,and mountings. Similarly, the terms “facing,” “faces” and variationsthereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirectfacing, and “adjacent to” and variations thereof herein are used broadlyand encompass directly and indirectly “adjacent to”. Therefore, thedescription of “A” component facing “B” component herein may contain thesituations that “A” component directly faces “B” component or one ormore additional components are between “A” component and “B” component.Also, the description of “A” component “adjacent to” “B” componentherein may contain the situations that “A” component is directly“adjacent to” “B” component or one or more additional components arebetween “A” component and “B” component. Accordingly, the drawings anddescriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not asrestrictive.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a touch-sensitive device according to anembodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged cross-sectionof FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a touch-sensitive device 10 aincludes a transparent substrate 12 and a laminated structure formed onthe transparent substrate 12. The touch-sensitive device 10 a is dividedinto a touch-sensitive region T and a non-touch-sensitive region N. Inthis embodiment, the non-touch-sensitive region N is located on theperiphery of the touch-sensitive device 10 a and surrounds thetouch-sensitive region T. A touch-sensing structure is formed in thetouch-sensitive region T of the touch-sensitive device 10 a to detecttouch operations. The laminated structure in the non-touch-sensitiveregion N may include an insulation layer 14, a decorative layer 16 and atrace layer 18. The decorative layer 16 is disposed on one side of thetransparent substrate 12, and a gap region S exists between an outeredge P of the decorative layer 16 and a side edge Q of the transparentsubstrate 12. The trace layer 18 is disposed on the decorative layer andmay include a plurality of metal traces. The touch-sensing structure inthe touch-sensitive region T is electrically connected to the metaltraces. Further, an insulation layer 14 may be formed on and cover thetransparent substrate 12. That is, the insulation layer 14 may bedisposed between the transparent substrate 12 and the decorative layer16 and the touch-sensing structure. The material of the transparentsubstrate 12 includes, but not limited to, glass or plastic. Further,the transparent substrate 12 may function as a cover lens. Thedecorative layer 16 is formed on the periphery of the transparentsubstrate 12 to shield metal traces. The material of the decorativelayer 16 includes at least one of photo resist, diamond-like carbon,ceramic, colored ink and resin. The touch-sensing structure in thetouch-sensitive region T may be a single-layer electrode structure or amulti-layer electrode structure. In one embodiment, the touch-sensingstructure may include a plurality of first sensing series 11 and aplurality of second sensing series 13 spaced apart from the firstsensing series 11. For example, as shown in both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, thetouch-sensing structure has an underground-island electrode structure,where each first sensing series 11 includes multiple first transparentelectrodes 22 a connected with each other by multiple first connectinglines 25, each second sensing series 13 includes multiple secondtransparent electrodes 22 b connected with each other by multiple secondconnecting lines 26, and a dielectric layer 24 is disposed between afirst connecting line 25 and a corresponding second connecting line 26.As can be clearly seen in FIG. 2, the transparent electrodes 22 b mayextend to overlap the dielectric layer 24; for example, the major partof the transparent electrodes 22 b are disposed beside the dielectriclayer 24, and a part of the transparent electrodes 22 b covers a part ofthe dielectric layer 24, as shown in FIG. 2. Note the touch-sensingstructure is not limited to an underground-island electrode structure.In an alternate embodiment, the connecting lines are connected with eachother in the upper portion of the touch-sensing structure to form abridge-island electrode structure. Further, the touch-sensing structuremay be disposed on two opposite sides of the transparent substrate 12,and the transparent electrodes 22 a and 22 b may have a regular shapesuch as a diamond, a triangle or a line segment or may have an irregularshape.

In this embodiment, a passivation layer 32 covers both a touch-sensingstructure in the touch-sensitive region T and a laminated structure inthe non-touch-sensitive region N to protect the entire touch-sensitivedevice 10 a. The passivation layer 32 may be made from an inorganicmaterial such as silicide. Another insulation layer 44 is formed on thepassivation layer 32 and distributed only in the non-touch-sensitiveregion N, and the thickness of the insulation layer 44 is 3-100 timesgreater than the thickness of the passivation layer 32. The insulationlayer 44 may be made from an inorganic material or an organic material.A transparent conductive layer 46 is formed on the decorative layer 16and electrically connected to the metal traces in the trace layer 18.The transparent conductive layer 46 may be made from an ITO transparentconductive film. The passivation layer 32 and the insulation layer 44both have an opening 43 formed at a position overlapping a bonding areaof the transparent conductive layer 46 to expose a part of thetransparent conductive layer 46. The exposed part of the transparentconductive layer 46 is electrically connected to an external circuitthrough an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) 36, and the externalcircuit may be a transmission device (such as a flexible printed circuitboard 34) or an electronic device (such as an IC chip). A shelteringlayer 38 may be disposed on the periphery of the non-touch-sensitiveregion N. The sheltering layer 38 at least overlaps the gap region S andtouches the passivation layer 32 and the insulation layer 44. Also, anopening 45 is formed on the sheltering layer 38 at a positionoverlapping the bonding area of the transparent conductive layer 46. Inthis embodiment, the sheltering layer 38 may be made from ink.Typically, a cover glass is designed to have various shapes formed byspecial-shaped edging processing. However, the special-shaped edgingprocessing required destruction operations that may shake and damage thedecorative layer 16. Therefore, the decorative layer 16 is often kept asafe distance away from the side edge Q of the transparent 12. However,when the decorative layer 16 is disposed to be kept a safe distance awayfrom the side edge Q, the gap region S is formed to result in peripherylight leakage. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, since the sheltering layer38 overlaps the gap region S between an outer edge P of the decorativelayer 16 and a side edge Q of the transparent substrate 12, the problemof periphery light leakage is avoided. Besides, the sheltering layer 38is disposed on the periphery of the touch-sensitive device 10 a tosurround the decorative layer 16 on the trace layer 18 to provideperiphery protection of the wiring structure on the cover glass and toavoid side scrapes on the decorative layer 16 to improve productionreliability. Certainly, the material of the sheltering layer 38 is notrestricted to ink. The sheltering layer 38 may include a translucentmaterial, an opaque material, a material having low light transmittance,or a material capable of transmitting infrared light to reduce peripherylight leakage. For example, the sheltering layer 38 may be made from atleast one of photo resist, diamond-like carbon, ceramic, colored ink andresin. Further, the spread of the sheltering layer 38 is not limited tooverlap the gap region S, as long as the sheltering layer 38 is disposedon the periphery of the touch-sensitive device 10 a to surround thedecorative layer 16 to improve production reliability.

FIG. 4 shows a touch-sensitive device according to another embodiment ofthe invention. Referring to the touch-sensitive device 10 b shown inFIG. 4, a part of the passivation layer 32 overlapping the gap region Sis omitted compared with the passivation layer 32 shown in FIG. 2. Thatis, the insulation layer 44 may extend downwardly to omit the part ofthe passivation layer 32, and the sheltering layer 38 touches theinsulation layer 44 only.

Note the configuration of a touch-sensing structure in thetouch-sensitive region is not restricted, as long as the effect ofdetecting touch operations is achieved. For example, the touch-sensingstructure may be an underground electrode structure, a bridge electrodestructure or other electrode structure. Further, the touch-sensitivedevice according to the above embodiments may combine with a displaydevice to form a touch-sensitive display device. For example, as shownin FIG. 5, a display device 50 may be attached to a touch-sensitivedevice 10 a through an optical adhesive 52 to form a touch-sensitivedisplay device 60. The type of the display device 50 includes, but notlimited, a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diodedisplay, an electro-wetting display, a bi-stable display, and anelectrophoretic display.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the inventionhas been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the preciseform or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoingdescription should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent topractitioners skilled in this art. The embodiments are chosen anddescribed in order to best explain the principles of the invention andits best mode practical application, thereby to enable persons skilledin the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and withvarious modifications as are suited to the particular use orimplementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalentsin which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unlessotherwise indicated. Therefore, the term “the invention”, “the presentinvention” or the like does not necessarily limit the claim scope to aspecific embodiment, and the reference to particularly preferredexemplary embodiments of the invention does not imply a limitation onthe invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The inventionis limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Theabstract of the disclosure is provided to comply with the rulesrequiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher to quickly ascertainthe subject matter of the technical disclosure of any patent issued fromthis disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will notbe used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Anyadvantages and benefits described may not apply to all embodiments ofthe invention. It should be appreciated that variations may be made inthe embodiments described by persons skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined by the followingclaims. Moreover, no element and component in the present disclosure isintended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the elementor component is explicitly recited in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A touch-sensitive device, comprising: asubstrate; a touch-sensing structure for performing touch-sensingoperations; a passivation layer disposed on the touch-sensing structure;a trace layer electrically connected to the touch-sensing structure; adecorative layer disposed on the substrate for shielding the tracelayer, wherein a gap region is formed between an outer edge of thedecorative layer and a side edge of the transparent substrate; and alight-shielding sheltering layer disposed on at least a part of aperiphery of the substrate, wherein the light-shielding sheltering layeroverlaps at least a part of the passivation layer, covers at least apart of the decorative layer, and covers the gap region between theouter edge of the decorative layer and the side edge of the transparentsubstrate.
 2. The touch-sensitive device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe touch-sensing structure comprises a plurality of first sensingseries and a plurality of second sensing series spaced apart from thefirst sensing series.
 3. The touch-sensitive device as claimed in claim2, wherein the second sensing series and the first sensing series areoriented to cross over each other at crossover locations, each of thefirst sensing series comprises multiple first electrodes and multiplefirst connecting lines, the first electrodes are connected with eachother by the first connecting lines, each of the second sensing seriescomprises multiple second electrodes and multiple second connectinglines, the second electrodes are connected with each other by the secondconnecting lines, and a plurality of insulators separate from each otherare disposed in the crossover locations to separate the first sensingseries and the second sensing series.
 4. The touch-sensitive device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is a cover lens.
 5. Thetouch-sensitive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thelight-shielding sheltering layer comprises at least one of photo resist,diamond-like carbon, ceramic, colored ink, resin and a material capableof transmitting infrared light.
 6. The touch-sensitive device as claimedin claim 1, wherein the light-shielding sheltering layer comprises atleast one of a translucent material, an opaque material, and a materialhaving low light transmittance.
 7. The touch-sensitive device as claimedin claim 1, wherein the decorative layer comprises at least one of photoresist, diamond-like carbon, ceramic, colored ink and resin.
 8. Thetouch-sensitive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decorativelayer is formed from photo resist and the light-shielding shelteringlayer is formed from ink.
 9. The touch-sensitive device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein each of the decorative layer and the light-shieldingsheltering layer is a colored layer.
 10. The touch-sensitive device ofclaim 1, wherein the light-shielding sheltering layer surrounds thedecorative layer.
 11. A cover lens assembly for a touch-sensitivedevice, comprising: a substrate; a decorative layer disposed on thesubstrate for shielding traces of the touch-sensitive device, whereinthe decorative layer has an outer edge near a side edge of the substrateand an inner edge opposite the outer edge, and a gap region is formedbetween the outer edge of the decorative layer and the side edge of thesubstrate; and a light-shielding sheltering layer distinct from thedecorative layer, wherein the light-shielding sheltering layer isdisposed on at least a part of a periphery of the substrate and coversat least a part of the decorative layer, the light-shielding shelteringlayer covers the gap region formed between the outer edge of thedecorative layer and the side edge of the substrate, the light-shieldingsheltering layer has an outer edge near the side edge of the substrateand an inner edge opposite the outer edge, and the inner edge of thelight-shielding sheltering layer is not aligned with the inner edge ofthe decorative layer.
 12. The cover lens assembly as claimed in claim11, wherein the inner edge of the decorative layer is located furtheraway from the side edge of the substrate than the inner edge of thelight-shielding sheltering layer.
 13. The cover lens assembly as claimedin claim 11, wherein the outer edge of the light-shielding shelteringlayer is located further away from the inner edge of the decorativelayer than the side edge of the substrate.
 14. The cover lens assemblyas claimed in claim 11, wherein the light-shielding sheltering layercomprises at least one of photo resist, diamond-like carbon, ceramic,colored ink, resin and a material capable of transmitting infraredlight.
 15. The cover lens assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein thelight-shielding sheltering layer comprises at least one of a translucentmaterial, an opaque material, and a material having low lighttransmittance.
 16. The cover lens assembly as claimed in claim 11,wherein the decorative layer comprises at least one of photo resist,diamond-like carbon, ceramic, colored ink and resin.
 17. The cover lensassembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the decorative layer is formedfrom photo resist and the light-shielding sheltering layer is formedfrom ink.
 18. The cover lens assembly as claimed in claim 11, whereineach of the decorative layer and the light-shielding sheltering layer isa colored layer.
 19. The cover lens assembly of claim 11, wherein thelight-shielding sheltering layer surrounds the decorative layer.
 20. Atouch-sensitive device, comprising: a cover lens assembly, comprising: asubstrate; a decorative layer disposed on the substrate for shieldingtraces of the touch-sensitive device, wherein the decorative layer hasan outer edge near a side edge of the substrate and an inner edgeopposite the outer edge; and a light-shielding sheltering layer distinctfrom the decorative layer, wherein the light-shielding sheltering layeris disposed on at least a part of a periphery of the substrate andcovers at least a part of the decorative layer, the light-shieldingsheltering layer has an outer edge near the side edge of the substrateand an inner edge opposite the outer edge, and the inner edge of thelight-shielding sheltering layer is not aligned with the inner edge ofthe decorative layer; and a touch-sensing structure combined with thecover lens assembly for performing touch-sensing operations.